John Joseph Kotowski Jr.

John Joseph Kotowski, Jr., was born in Weehawken, New Jersey, on June 10, 1936, the son of Kathryn (Krajewska) and John Joseph Kotowski, Sr. After graduating from St. Michael’s High School in Union City, NJ, John entered St. Peter’s College in Jersey City and received a Bachelor of Science in June 1958. He worked for a year as a statistician for the U.S. Government before entering active duty in the Army in June 1959 as a Second Lieutenant, serving for over twenty years and rising to the rank of Lt. Colonel. He served in Germany from 1959 to 1963, where he met and married Barbara Ring, with whom he shared a life and love until her death in 2017.

John did two separate tours of duty in Vietnam in 1966 and 1970, receiving numerous decorations, including three Bronze Star Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Vietnamese Service Metal with Five Battle Stars. After returning to the States, he worked for a few years in the mid ‘70s as part of the North American Air Defense Command at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado, eventually settling in El Paso to live out the final half of his life.

Upon retirement from the Army in 1979, he attended graduate school at the University of Texas, El Paso, graduating with an MA in Theater Arts in 1986. He later taught adult students seeking high school equivalency degrees in the Ysleta Independent School District until 1998.

After being introduced to LA BOHEME courtesy of a gift ticket from a friend at St. Peter’s College, John became a passionate opera buff who taught summertime Elderhostel classes for several years on the subject in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also taught classes on musical theater and opera at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UTEP and was involved for three decades as a technician, actor, and/or director in many theatrical productions, with highlights including H.M.S. PINAFORE, THE LION IN WINTER, DAMN YANKEES, SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE, A WALK IN THE WOODS, and ON GOLDEN POND.

John spent his twilight years as a recluse who loved calico cats and classic cinema (his favorite actors were Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and John Wayne), and never encountered a Sudoku puzzle that he couldn’t solve.

John is survived by his two children, daughter Catherine Kotowski (Warren Scherffius) and son Michael Kotowski (Diana Orrantia-Kotowski); and grandchildren Matthew Ramos, Olivia Orrantia-Kotowski (Ben Cordell), and Michaela Orrantia-Kotowski; and John’s younger brother, Vincent Kotowski and his family.